Dies for molding phonograph-records and the like



L L STEVENTON-; DIES FOR MOLDING PHONOGRAPH RECORDS AND THE LIKE.

Patented Deu. 13, v192.1.

, APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1.920. 1,399,817.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

P1 E.' III n T. STEVENTON. i 'DIIESl FQH MOLDING PHONOGRAPH RECORDS AND THE LIKE.

' Aif'FLlcATmi-i man AUG. 3,1920.

\ lime); im?, 271011205' Seveizon' Pmea Dec. 13, 1921.

LSTEVENTON.

DIES FOR MOLDING PHONOGHAPH RECORDS AND TH E'LlK-E. APPLICATION FILED Aue. 3, |920.

1,399,817. Patented 1360.13, 1921. 4 SHEETS-SHEET' 4f .Tl-20121.05' Scvellzozz nire STAM,

THOMAS STEvENTOiv, oF FRAMING-HAM, .MASSACHUSETTS 'mns FoaMoriDiNe RBoNoeRAPH-Rnconps AND THElriIKE.

. l'o all whom it may concern: y

i Be it known that I, THOMAS S'iEVENfroN, a

' citizen of the United. States, residing at Framingham, county of Middlesex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful 'Improvements in `Dies for Molding I )honograph- Recordsand the Like, of which thefollowing is a specification.

vIypresent invention relates to press apparatus for forming phonograph records and the like and-particularly to the matrix dies or press platesbetween which the records are molded.-

In the operation of these dies the speed of production is very largel'y influencedand determined bythe rate of l'thermal fshiftfbetween the heating and cooling steps vin the' molding.. i

In mv present invention I provide'for`the heating and cooling by a system of alternating lflow in the currents offsteam' and Water avoidance of waste. My invention furthermore includes cer-v by which the thermal shift is accomplished with greater' rapidity and more even distri'biition` than heretofore' has been possible.

As will appear hereinafter this alternation inthe course of the .current` about the die gives a more even symmetricalprogression of the thermal 'change across the die and the molded record, with a considerable increase in rate of production and a consid# vup the ribs in alternate pairs.

erable'improvement both in product .and in tain improvements in details of die structure effectiv'efor greater accuracy and ease in operation and giving greater durability and .ease in change vof parts' subjected to wear.

As illustrative of my invention as setting forth such detailed. improvements, I have showin in'the accompanying drawings a structure which I havefound well adapted topractical use. Throughout the specifica- -tion and drawings ylike reference characters are 'employed to indicate 'corresponding parts and in thedrz'tvs'fings;l

f Figure I is aside view partly in sectionf of'a :pair of dies.

. cover removed.

Fig. V afaceview ofa die.

' ing bolt, and

y creases the `rate of flow Fig. II .an'enlarged vsection thoiigh` the i .secur'e'fastening of the die to the: head of lthe li'ydraulicpress. The plate 1" is 'also' specification of Lettes'ratntif -patntedbem 1921 Application'fiiea August 3,1920. seria1No.4o i,c45. i l

guiding` dowel of the die pair adjacent the i edge. FigjVII ,a similar view' .through a iet in- 'Fig. i VIII -a similar through the ring. 'I

In the practice of my invention I form the body of 4the die' or .press plate' by channeling a generally rectangular plate 'l with ing of'the'die. Each .succeeding groove 2'- enlarged view la series of annular groovings 2 which'are toward the Outsidev is of slightly `greater width than the groove next within it. "This i permits a more rapid discharge of the steain or the water, when the change is made from one to the 'otherpsince the increased chan` nel area enables the die to clear itselfvv'ith.

less' friction and in. less time.-A This inand the rapidityv of thermal transfer.

' This leaves between thelchanneliZ the unl dercut ribs 3 which are concentric. These ribs are cut ont at 'short sections' as'jndicated at 4, in staggered relation te each other 'and across these c ut out portions I place aar 5 preferably of brass which thus seals v'I he' channels 2 therefore connect regn- Alarly so that starting at. the point of lintake 6A with flow of eitherfwater or stea'inv the current alternates at` a little less than a coinplete circumferential transit of the' plate. `Thisreversal is caused by thel impact of theA current against thewall`v which turns it back into the, neXt .outer channelthrough 'i' which it iows in a direction reverse; to' that in which it 'originally traveled. This r'e-f versal takes place at .the end of each channel circuit, theflow. being carriedof vthrough the exhaust-pipe?. f vThe upper and lower platesl and I are substantially identical, but differ slightly in their equipment. As is seen `in Figs. III

and VI, the plate' 1.y is`p10vided.withifourA bolt holes 8. These bblt holes permit the shown. more clearly Fig.- VI. Theplate of steam and water. -The Vhub 10 is tapped 1v .hasj-openings alined with these dowels which'are-bushed at 9 to receive the dowcl. The top of the bushing' is beveled to provide clearancefand prevent choking. The plates 1 and 1 are both provided adjacent their centers with short hubs 10. The

lates 1. and 1 are also fitted with cover` plates 11 which are shoulderedvat 11 and v112 so as to fit down and cover the channels 2 making them thus closed channels ,through which the steam and water may circulate..

rI he cover plates 11 are each provided with` an .intake 6 and an outlet 7 for admission at -10 and into it is screwed a nipple 12.

This nipple 12 acts as a guide for the ejec! tor 13 which has an enlarged head 1/1 and serves 'to break the vacuum in case a molded record sticks in thedie.

parts are free to move without any danger of 'leakage thus doing away withv theneed of stuffing boxes or packing. .A nut lo'verliesfthe cover plate 11 and holds' ittightly v`in place and prevents any leakage. The hol- -'low stem 18. of .the ejector extends. down through the'bushing 12 in the lower die and I. is provided at itslower end with a nut 16.

Betvveei'rthe nut16 and the nut'll is a spring 17 intended to hold the ejector back in placeA at all` times. Through the hollow ejector `stem 18V passes a molding pin 18 i having screw driver slot 18:2 in vitsend and 'at its lower end v183 this pin is threaded and is? detachably and removably'v screwed into va boss 19 on a lever 20. The lever is pivoted at 21 to any convenientportion of the die'or machine and is normally held upby a spring 22 which in the drawing is shown as attached to the cover plate 11.

VPivoted. on the lever 2() isa pawl 28 having a flattened head 29. The pawl is operated by a connecting rod 30 to vthe, short arm of a finger clamp 31 normally held away from the handle by, a spring 32. The head 29 is shown in retracted position, in which 'position it clears the nut 17 on the stem- 13. In operation when the pin'18 is withdrawn by the depression ofthe lever and its desire to break the vacuum by. lifting on the head 14,the pawl 28`isfallowed to slip under i' the nut 17' while the lever is depressed so- Vthat a very slight upward movement 0f the lever raises the head 14 and clears the `rmoldeA ed record from the. matrix.'

Referring to F ig. V it will be seen that the face of the die 1 consists of'a central circular portion 1a on which the matrix M is 'supported. Thematrix. isv held in place `by a 'clamping ring23-shown in-'Figa II and j `VIII., "'The. .clainpi`ng"ring v23 .has an in; turned portion 24 overlying the matri'iz' Mat its margin, thus holding it vsecurelyin place. Just above this overlying portion thisv ring is The vnipple 12 'screwedinto the hub 10 also isolates the yejector stem and molding pin so that these .an interrupted thread or bridge block. joint -`a's is indicated in Figs. VI' and VII. The

ring 26 is provided at suitable intervals with pairs of spanner holes 26. The matrix clamp is shouldered at 23 and the ring 26' 'has an overlying shoulder 262. The upper faces'of the rings` 23 and 26 are beveled toward each other leaving a space 27 which forms aicatch 4basin or cavity within which any overflow ofthe molding material will lodge. i y v In operation. the plates 1 and 1 are bolted lto the opposed lheads of the hydraulic press.

The matrices are'locked in placeby the rings v23 .and held" by the locking rings 26, the

record materialis spreadon the die and the press operated@ .Previous to applying the material, `steam has been admitted to the in- .take piper-.56 and the 'dies.` brought to the proper temperature; 'w `Steam in entering the dies traverses it in a series of alternating `circuits which pass progressively out from thecenter, each` turn through the channel effectingits thermal :change .gradually and uniformly. As soon as the dies have closed and the record formedthe'steam is cut ofi' 'and water,` admitted through 'the intake 6.

`'.lhelflov'vgof the cold water through the die follows up the steam and passesout through the outlet'pipes The dies are then separate, andthe lever 20 depressed, .withdrawing the pinlS.v If, as 'occasionally happens,

- the record-'adheres to the matrix, the lever 20 vis slightly lraised lifting the head 14 sufficiently' tov break the vacuum and permit the record tobe removed as before described.

.` Variousnmodiiications .may obviously beV Imade 'in the equipment as shown-with regard to the various features"`of the inventin h@TelnrIIVOlved.. These features may g be embodied jointly but some of them. might be employed to advantage separately. The

.individual features .may 'furthermore be changedin form all` without' departing from my invention if within" the th@ Spirijtarv limits' @f the: ppended claims.- l y VVliatI therefore claim and desire to secureb Letters Patent -isz D f1. Ina d iegofjthe class 'describedhaving a.f

plurality"'ofcncentric channels, a radial,

wall passingthrough said channels, alter-' I nate'channel walls on eachnside of said radial` wall being opened acent thereto to per` mit a..reversing circumferential flowthrough said die. 2. In a die of Ythe-class described a clian' -neled plate' having a' `pl iira.lity of concentric channels, a radial wall passing through "said channels, alternate channel' walls onl each side of said radialwall being opened adjacent thereto to permit a reversing circumferential flow through said die, and 'a cover for said plate having intakeand outlet.

3. A die for molding phonograph records having an intake and an outlet and having a fluid channel between said intake and outlet, said channel being formed to alternately reverse the flow circumferentially of the lneled pres-sure plate having an intake and outlet'for flowltherethrough, said channel walls being undercut adjacent the radiating 4face to increase the area of fluid contact in said channel adjacent said face.

f5.4 In a die of the class described a matrix supporting surface, an annular channel surrounding said surface, a shouldered matrix clamp lodged in said channel and having an overhanging clamping lip and a locking ring lodged in said recess to hold said 'clamp in place.

7. In a die of the class described a matrix supporting surface, an annular channel surrounding said surface, a shouldered matrix clamp lodged in said channel and having an overhanging clamping lip and a locking ring lodgedV in. said recess and having an interrupted threaded engagement therewith to hold said clamp in place. j

8. In a die for forming records, a matrix bearing surface, a pin axially movable through said surface, a sleeve surrounding said pin and Ahaving an ejector normally lying in said surface, and means operable in one direction for withdrawing the pin and in the other direction for raising said ejector.

9. In a die for forming records, a matrix bearing surface, av detachable molding pin axially movable through said surface, and an operating device for said pin and detachably receiving said pin.

10. In a die for forming records, a matrix bearing surface, a molding pin having a slotted head and axially movable through said surface, an operating lever for said pin, and a threaded connection between said pin and lever. 1 A

11. A press die for molding phonograph records having an intake and an outletl and having a plurality of concentric fluid channels of less than circumferential length between said intake and outlet, said channels being radially connected each to the next opter to Aalternately reverse the flow 'circumferen-tially of the plate at predetermined intervals. l A

`12. In adevice oftheclassdescribed a channeled plate, a hub centrally thereof,l a cover sealing said channels for a fluidway, an externally threaded hollow nipple screwed in said hub, a fastening threaded on v said nipple and seating said cover on said channeled plate and axially movable 'mold elements guided in said hollow nipple.

13. In a device of theclass described a channeled plate, a hub extension thereof, a

cover sealing saidl channels for a fluidway, and leaving an opening receiving said extension, a fastening thread on said extension and seating said cover on said channeled plate and axially movable mold elements guided in said hollow nipple.

14. In a device of the class described a .channeled plate, a hollow hub member-centrally thereof, a cover sealing said channelsan intake and an outlet, a fluid channel therethrough said channel being of increased cross section from intake to outlet. y 17. In a die of the class described having an intake and an outlet anda. connecting fluid channel therethrough, said channel guided-in said holbeing baffled at predetermined points in its course and enlarged beyond each baffle point in the direction of flow.

18. vIn a die ofthje class described, a matrix, a matrix clamp and a lock for said clamp, there being a s ace.,between -said clamp and lock within w iic/h any overflow molding material may lodgel 19. In a die of the class described, a matrix, a matrix clamping ring, and a lock ring for said clamping ring, there being a space between said rings within which any overflow molding material may lodge.

20. In a die'of the class described, a matrx, a shouldered matrix clamping lring and a shouldered locking ring for said clamping ring, adjacent faces of said rings being beveled toward each other to form a space between said rings wit-hin which` any overflow molding material may lodge.

In testimony whereof I'aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS STEVENTON.

GEO. B. RAwLINGs, MARION F. WEISS. 

